One of the most popular third-party web browsers for Android devices gained support for cloud-based synchronization on Wednesday. Dolphin Browser, one of my “must try” applications for Android, hit version 7 and is available today exclusively from GetJar; the software hits the standard Android Market in five days. Among the improvements: the ability to wirelessly sync browser preferences and bookmarks with other Android devices running the Dolphin Browser.
The new version of Dolphin keeps all of the features that have had me using it for the past year: true tabbed browsing, fast performance, full-screen mode, the recently added Webzine function and customizable on-screen gestures. But the Dolphin team took a page out of Google’s Chrome playbook and added browser synchronization; handy for people who use multiple Android smartphones or tablets. The new features are coming soon to Dolphin for Apple iOS devices.
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All of the browsing preferences, bookmarks and gestures on device are wirelessly sent to any others you have Dolphin installed on. The custom gesture sync alone is huge because it takes time to create gestures (you could always use the default ones) and synching them ensures that all of the gestures are identical across devices.
Dolphin’s Webzine feature — a nicely formatted version of web pages — gains a subtle facelift in this version as well. It’s easier and more intuitive to swipe around to different articles or sources. And there’s a button in the browser’s address bar to switch between Webzine or standard modes. All in all, adding synchronization through the cloud makes a great browser even better for Android devices. If my eight reasons to try Dolphin Browser didn’t convince, perhaps a ninth reason will.
Ironically, the timing of the browser sync function corresponds with Tuesday night’s launch of Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. The updated native Google browser will also sync bookmarks and such, but if you want gesture support, you’ll need to stick with Dolphin for now.
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